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HOW THIS IS MONEY CAN HELP

In February 2008, Paul Junior passed his driving test, so £5,000 was withdrawn to purchase a car. Paul Senior withdrew the money using the passbook and his driving licence and credit card as ID.

That left a grand total of £2,906.85 in the account. Last year, when Mr Hardcastle remembered the cash languishing in the account, he decided to give Paul Junior the passbook so he could withdraw the remaining balance.

When he tried to do so last December, he was informed the account had been closed in November 2009 - some seven years previously.

Mr Hardcastle stepped in and explained to staff that the passbook showed there was still funds in the account. The passbook has never been lost or stolen, and has been in his care since the account was opened.

But he was told it isn't needed to withdraw money.

Passbook: The account shows that £2,906.85 was left in the account after the 2008 withdrawal

To add to the frustration, Paul Senior had been removed as a trustee from the account without his knowledge and he had to battle to be able to speak about the account. He was told this was likely to have been a 'migration issue'.

Mr Hardcastle said: 'I believed fraud had taken place. I was told Santander would have to locate either the signature used or that CCTV would be a way of them finding out more information but that would take up to six weeks.

'I believe the "migration issue" could be a factor to potential fraud.'

Mr Hardcastle was told that withdrawal slips over six years old are held in Poland. It transpired that there had been a £500 withdrawal on one day and £2,400 the next without the passbook.

The maximum withdrawal without the passbook is set at £500.

Trustee: The passbook lists Paul Senior as the trustee - but he had a battle just to discuss the account

He adds: 'I fail to believe for one moment that safe security questions were asked and if as I am led to believe documentation was presented, I will state what was presented was definitely fake.'

Santander have stated it is unable to confirm what documentation was used or who signed the authority.

Mr Hardcastle is not convinced all lines of enquiry have been undertaken and that he has been fobbed off with the excuse it cannot find the signature slips.

He reported it to Action Fraud and took the case to the Financial Ombudsman. It decided in favour of Santander as the account appears to have been closed more than six years ago.

It's yet another case of a banking customer being guilty until they can prove themselves innocent.

Mr Hardcastle has since issued a court judgement, but Santander didn't respond. He now says the next step is to send in the bailiffs after his letter to chief executive Nathan Bostock fell on deaf ears.

He adds: 'This is isn't about the money, it's the principle.

'What if this has happened to other customers who have lost cash in a historical way like this but cannot prove they have been defrauded?

'If I can get the money back, I will donate it to charity.'

Mr Hardcastle, who is now chairman of record label NUA Entertainment, has sold 20million records and re-released '19' in 2015 to raise funds for British soldiers after one of his son's close friends lost his life in military combat in Afghanistan.

A Santander spokesman said: 'Mr Hardcastle first raised the issue around his son's account in December 2016 when we investigated and found no evidence of negligence or fraudulent activity.

'The case was subsequently taken to the FOS who agreed with our findings and adjudicated in our favour.

'Our records show that the money appears to have been withdrawn following our procedures insofar as £500 was allowed to be withdrawn in cash on demand but the withdrawal of the additional funds needed 24 hours' notice and the same person to attend with relevant identification.

'Due to the significant time elapsed since these withdrawals we no longer have access to other evidence such as CCTV.

'If Mr Hardcastle has additional information relating to this case we would be very happy to investigate.'

This is Money update readers on the outcome of any potential court hearings or bailiff action.

HAVE A HISTORICAL ACCOUNT?

Anybody who has old passbooks and savings accounts with cash in should regularly check the balance to make sure the cash is still there – if six years lapse, as in this case, it can make it tricky to battle the banks.

This is because banks are only obliged to hold accounting records for this period.

It is easy to leave cash idle in these accounts - many will put money in them for their children or grandchildren and not think about it for many years.

This is the idea of tucking away cash for their future, but you should remain vigilant, just in case.

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